Scared to death in Joburg

http://picasaweb.google.com/jono.chiu/joburg

Etosha National Park

Highlight of last weekend (another 4 day weekend) was seeing 2 lions (possibly Nala and Simba) mate. Other things I saw include Rafiki's tree, Pumbaa, Wilderbeasts and Antelopes (wait till you see these pics, you'll agree).

Wish I could say more, but busy planning for this coming weekend. Going for a weeklong road trip with Vince through Botswana and Zambia (possibly Zimbabwe if they take our bribe for the VISA). Gonna be a lot of driving!

The long weekend that just wasn't long enough

Just sitting on the bumpy non-air conditioned bus, sweating and reflecting on a long overdue weekend of great seafood, perfect weather and relaxation. After facing what I now realize to be culture shock and working into an ugly "bari angula" (take 2 pills in the morning) routine, I feel a renewed sense of energy for people in the clinic as well as our research. In the past month, I have had the opportunity to see people with both my eyes for the first time, but its very difficult to express all that goes on in ones mind other than to give a scene-by scene description, which never really does it justice.

After busing through 4 1/2 hours of arid land, the bus drove through the entrance of Swakop where gigantic pineapple shaped trees shot up from either side of the ground out of seemingly nowhere. This trail led us into Swakopmund. After moments of stepping in, I already had to remind myself that I was in Africa. The town was mostly filled with Afrikaaner whites if not tourists and the shops were both swanky and expensive (although I realize one usually leads to the other). Houses did not even have electric fences... which is something new to see.
"How many places in subsaharn Africa can you feel safe walking down a street in pitch black?"

This was the West coast of Namibia so my seafood craving was finally met by a poitke of mussels and fress raw oysters. Richard helped us organize a beach house (120 N$ which is 17$CDN for 3 nights). We had both a firepit and a semi-private beach in our backyard. As you hear the waves roll into the rocks and sand, pulling in pieces of mussle shells and dead jellyfish, you could feel all the stress roll back out. Walking along the beach, a few runners and dogs (that were actually NOT anorexic as compared to in Katutura where I work) would pass by with a smile.

This place is known for their enormous sand dunes and on no. 7, I sandboarded as the sun set. It is slower than snowboarding, but with the same equipment. Amanda, you'll be proud that I actually did a jump (no grabs though). I had previously said that Swakop is where the sand dunes meets the ocean... well, I didn't get a real taste of this until going quad biking (ATVing) through the Namib desert. 120ccs of exhileration. I had moments where I felt control of my surrondings... something I've been lacking from work.

Fish and Chips and burgers and marshmallows and smores by a campfire was Sunday night as we chatted about our favourite restaurants in Toronto. But whether it was the sunset over the ocean, the full moon you can see even before it gets dark, the billion more stars in the sky, or the 6:30 sunrise that seemed make-believe, I came to a realization. It isn't always about changing the world here, but sometimes, just leaving your footprints in the sand.

Some photos of this weekend are uploaded.

In Swakop

Gosh, this place is amazing. We haven't travelled for almost a month now (other than in Windhoek) so I've been looking forward to this. Swakop is at the west coast of Namibia, where the ocean meets the sand dunes.

We're staying at a house by the ocean (for 6$ cdn a night) and our backyard is the beach... I guess that makes it a beach house. The city here is nothing like Windhoek. First of all, the houses don't have electric fences (not to say that it isn't a dangerous place of course). The houses are pretty much mansions here. You can tell that the well off ones are here. I had to remind myself I was in Africa again.

Tomorrow we're heading to the dunes for sandboarding in the morning. Then, on Sunday, we're going quadbiking in the dunes. I can't wait. I bought a disposible camera so the sand doesn't get in my camera. I'll have loads more pictures to put up when my supervisor brings my laptop... then I'll go somewhere with wireless internet. :P

In the next month, we'll be doing some more travelling as well. Possibly Victoria Falls (Zambia), Okavango Delta (Botswana) and Etosha National park (Namibia). That should take up a good couple weekends.

SHOUTOUT: Happy (pre)Birthday Amanda! Love/Miss you.

Posted pictures... finally

Look up my picasa album for some SA photos... more to come (really this time)

http://picasaweb.google.com/jono.chiu/SACapeTown#

Hertz

So, on saturday, we rented a a car from Hertz and I drove stick for the first time... pretty fun I must say. And we drove to a game park for a hike and spotted some wild animals. Then went up to Heroes Acre, a monument of heroes from Namibia that fought for independence. Sunday, we took a truck up to the top of a mountain and had dinner at the top while watching the sun set.

This week's busy 'cause the Qamar (the pharmacist is not around)... we're playing pharmacist for the week. On friday, we're taking a long weekend trip to the coast (where the sand dunes meet the ocean) and going to stay at a beach house. It's kind of the first bit of travelling for the past month.

Oh, and watched transformers last night... not bad action scenes, but seriously no plot.

Happy Canada Day y'all. We're having a Canada Day Party tomorrow night... I think like 70 people are invited to cram into our small place.

Oh, and I found a fast internet place so maybe I'll finally put some photos up.

Back of a truck

So now that all that orientation is done and said, so much has happened in merely 2 weeks.

Let's just get right down to it. Vince and I work at an ARV clinic. I've met and spoken to HIV patients but never in this environment. Every single patient that walks through the pharmacy has been diagnosed as HIV positive. It was a bit ridiculous because the first 2 days, we just got thrown into it all. We were dispensing medication with no supervision after 2 hours of "training"... which really was just observation. I won't lie, it was daunting at first and still is after 2 weeks.


On the friday, after arriving at work early, we got into the back of a pick-up truck (... literally in the trunk) and rode 90km out into the countryside into Dordabis(sp.) with 1 doctor, 1 nurse, 1 pharmacy technician and 1 community counsellor. We drove through the desert to a small village where we dispensed ARVs to a small rural community. It was our 3rd day on the job. It was also an eye opening experience to see so many unemployed, sick individuals, unable to travel to the city clinics. This bi-weekly project is funded by PEPFAR, UNAIDS and some other governmental agencies.

To summarize this past week's work, we did pre-test counselling, testing, post-test counselling, and adherence counselling. This is from the moment the patient enters the pharmacy, to doing a rapid blood screening test, to informing them they have HIV to making sure they understand the treatment and the disease and making sure they are adherent to the medications. I watched as young couple in their 20s came in together to get tested and them were told they were positive. Their smiles disappearing from their faces with stunned silence. However, a surprising number of them are very accepting of the disease. 7 out of 8 people I saw tested were positive... something the nurses called "a bad day".

What is really sad is when the young ones come in. Today, a 5 year old girl was brought in for adherence counselling. She was escorted by whom I thought was her mom. I found out later from the counsellor that the mother refuses to see the doctor, refuses testing and refuses treatment. The child fell asleep in her aunt's arms and wakes up to her own cough. But as she walks out the door in her socks and pink sandals, you can tell that she is still unbeknownst of the whole "HIV" thing.

Our research is starting to take shape and we've luckily been able to adapt some of the work from Jess and Ruby's work (last year's interns - thanks guys). We've shown our supervisors as well as nursing students (our UNAM partners) and they seem very receptive to our ideas. I hope all will go as planned with as little hiccups as possible.

Other random things that have happened this past week: Saw a barbeque made out of a shopping cart, children getting tested for HIV, went to a poetry show for the first time (uggh - not a fan), got lost while jogging around our place and had to take a taxi home cause it got too dark, bought some street kids fried chicken and french fries, and more things that words just can't describe.

... one of these days I'll find time to post pictures.